Naked Pics, Political Tricks: Privacy is Dead, Long Live Social Media

Archana Jayakumar has worked a full-time journalist with The Asian Age and Mid Day before being bitten by the freelance bug. In this weekly column, she explores the fascinating worlds of newsmakers, news breakers and news fakers. She also writes about the equally fascinating experience of living solo in France from time to time.

Image courtesy: Reuters

We’ve got the paparazzi to thank for Prince Harry’s recent rear view and Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton’s even more recent topless display. And the social media to thank for the worldwide circulation of what might otherwise have been just a few million tabloid copies sold in one country and reproduced in barely a couple of others. However, everyone on at least one social media site (almost everyone with access to the Internet, that is) saw Britain’s royalty stripped to its birthday suit courtesy piece-of-cake shares, RTs and what-have-yous — irrespective of the fact that the blue-blooded saw red and were far from being in a celebratory mood.

It’s tricky to play the blame game here. Must one point fingers at tabloids for doing what they do best? Or at the general public? The former is a lost case; there’s no stopping yellow journalism. As is the latter. Hoping people will use social media a tad more responsibly is like wondering if hormonally-charged teens can possibly keep their pants unzipped. We all know that once an image is uploaded online, anyone in the remotest corner of the world can easily tamper with it. Yet, intimate pictures captured during booze binges, romantic dates, wedding ceremonies, honeymoons and in hospitals with new-born babies continue to abound. Despite the most private settings on such unavoidably-invasive sites, I continue to get friend requests from my students aged as young as 10.

This is obviously an age where reverse-voyeurism goes hand-in-glove with — and is even one-up on — voyeurism. Where your average Joe makes an everyday spectacle of his painfully ordinary life and disperses “information” to a public that’s quite desperately tracking every move of his. You’ve got to be smart to use this idle audience to promote your personal/professional avatar.

One such Indian public figure who’s been doing a pretty good job at this is founder-leader of the All India Trinamool Congress and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Just a couple of days ago, she stormed out of the UPA coalition that’s been governing the country. Following which she has been using her Facebook page to her advantage quite actively. Sample this: “If I have something new to say, then I will let you know direct. (sic)”. And this: “I totally disagree with the statement of Union Finance Minister. It is concocted. Please watch me further on this page.” A website even advises Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to use her FB page to get in touch with Didi, post an alleged unreturned telephone call.

Such trends raise quite a few questions. Not just about intimate pictures and political stunts in the public eye. Not just about blurred lines between public and private personas. But about media in general. Will the rise of such sites cause conventional media to fade out? Will credentials of real journalists diminish? Can every blogger/vlogger/social media user claim to be a hack of sorts? Will public figures reduce interaction with popular media and communicate directly with the public (with hired help, in all probability)? Questions to which there are no easy answers. At least, none at the moment. What you can do now, however, dear reader, is pin/like/tweet/share this piece. Thank you.